East Stirlingshire 2 Rangers 4: Rangers fans' patience wears thin

It was confirmed yesterday that Imran Ahmad, the commercial director, had left the club. With Charles Green having resigned as chief executive nine days ago, and an independent examination still being conducted into the pair's dealings with Craig Whyte, the former owner, last summer and their management of the club, there remains a sense of uncertainty around Ibrox.

Supporters, who have been drained by two years of financial and ownership sagas, have had enough.

"They're right," said Ally McCoist, the Rangers manager. "If anybody deserves their club back, it's the fans. The support has been phenomenal, just when the club has needed them most. One or two individuals thought it's all about themselves – it's not. The club belongs to thousands of supporters and we need to get our club back.

"The fans need somebody to come in who they relate to, whose vision they can agree with in taking the club forward. The encouraging thing is that I know there are people who have the club's best interests at heart. And their only desire is to help the club progress. We've got a fantastic staff and we'll get things right at the top."

The challenge for McCoist, as for much of his time as Rangers manager, is to try to separate his players from the corporate distractions around them. The third division title is already won, but there remains a sense of purpose about the manager and his players.

That was reflected in the way Rangers began with such ambition against East Stirlingshire. Only six minutes had passed when Andy Little crossed to the near post and Robbie Crawford converted with a neat finish.

That ought to have established Rangers' control of the game, but the team is still hesitant in areas, not least in defence and the opposition preys on those vulnerabilities.

When Kevin Turner tried to reach a cross, he was bundled over by a combination of Emilson Cribari and Andy Mitchell, who was playing as a makeshift left-back. The latter was booked for conceding a penalty and Stephen Quinn converted the spot kick decisively.

For Turner, the afternoon's drama was just beginning. He had played a decisive role in the equaliser and he now inadvertently helped settle the game's outcome. Nine minutes after East Stirlingshire scored, Turner and Ian Black challenged each other for possession in the centre of the field. Both players went to ground but Turner appeared to go over the ball and was immediately shown the red card by the referee, Barry Cook.

"I saw Kevin raising his leg," said John Coughlin, the East Stirlingshire manager. "He fouled Black, Black fouled him, there was a nutmeg in there... he says he shouldn't have given the referee a decision to make. Kevin Turner is a Rangers supporter through and through; he'd be more likely to pick Black back up than foul him.

"That's the second time this season we've played Rangers here and had a man sent off after 20 minutes and it just kills the game. But we gave it our best shot, we competed the best that we could do."

The game did not immediately bend to Rangers' will, but perseverance brought its reward. On the cusp of half-time, David Templeton restored the visitors' lead with a free-kick from the edge of the 18-yard box. Grant Hay, the East Stirlingshire goalkeeper could only dive in vain as the ball swung past him.

However, Rangers were still capable of undermining their control of the game and Quinn was left unmarked to head the equaliser past Neil Alexander only five minutes after the interval.

The game tended to lack intensity or vigorous competitiveness and Rangers ambled back into the lead when Black scored from a tight angle, while Templeton added a fourth after Lee McCulloch mis-hit a Daniel Stoney cross into his path.

"We're already looking to next season," said McCoist, "but it's important that we finish with a good performance. The fans deserve that."

The trying game